How I Learn Through Play

By creating a hands-on multi-sensory experience that reaches multiple learners through the use of all five senses, we provide the ideal setting for learning. At Hilliard United Methodist Church preschool, we offer a developmentally appropriate curriculum, which strives to meet the needs of each individual child. We realize that all children enter our doors with different experiences and levels of knowledge and our goal is to provide an environment that allows for such uniqueness.

Visual Learners: Our visual learners have plenty of opportunity to view print in the classroom. Word walls, names, charts, labels… are visible throughout the classrooms. Multi-dimensional projects and puzzles are always within reach.

Auditory Learners: Those children that learn best from auditory stimuli will be dancing and moving to the sounds of the alphabet, the rhythm of poetry, and participating in mathematical aspects of our transitional songs.

Kinesthetic Learners: Our kinesthetic learners have ample opportunity to explore our world through hands-on activities. Finger painting with primary colors to form secondary colors, writing words in sand, manipulating play dough to strengthen fine motor skills, and building towers of blocks all enhance the preschool experience for the tactile learner.

Introverts and Extroverts: Our classrooms are filled with a variety of opportunities to engage introverts, as well as the extrovert. Our program is based on the development of the social/emotional growth of each child. Ideally learning takes place in an environment that allows the child to feel safe, secure and respected by the adults around them.

WHY IS ART SO IMPORTANT?

When painting, I am learning:

to develop my imagination and creativity

to develop my hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills

math skills, as I begin to understand and create shapes

to express my feelings

spatial concepts, as I discover the relationships to space and size

independence, as I make choices

to develop practical thinking skills, as I choose the materials

to design and create

When I finger paint, I am learning:

the identification of primary colors

how colors mix to make new colors

hand-eye coordination

to exercise my imagination and creativity

to explore the world through my senses

to expand my vocabulary, as I learn descriptive words, such as cold,
swishy, wet and smooth

When I “write” notes to you and my classmates, I am learning:

to hold the pencil, crayon or marker

to develop eye-hand coordination

that my ideas have value and meaning

to express my ideas through words and drawings

pre-writing skills, as I begin to make forms that resemble letters

to be a creative speller, as I understand that words are made of letters, sounds and shapes

When I create with play dough and slime, I am learning:

pre-reading skills, as I begin to see shapes against the background
of the table

to gain strength in my hands, as I develop my fine motor skills

geometry, as I gain understanding of shapes, size, length and height

to share and cooperate

science, when I see that a quantity remains the same even when it changes shape

When I paste, glue, and collage, I am learning:

math concepts, as I create patterns and design

to understand texture

creativity as I create a design

When I cut with scissors, I am learning to:

to control the small muscles in my hand

size and shape, as I begin to cut on the line

math skills, when I design and create my own shapes

WHAT IS CIRCLE TIME ALL ABOUT?

When I sing songs, I am learning:

to expand my vocabulary

memory skills and sequencing

to explore the principals of music and rhythm

phonological awareness, as I participate in the rhyming of the words

math skills, as I add and subtract from the rhyming, repetitive verse

When I play with instruments, I am learning:

reading skills, as I develop auditory discrimination

to follow directions, as I interpret and understand cues

listening skills, as I become aware of the rhythm in the music

concepts of fast, slow, loud and soft

to express myself in new and different ways

to appreciate music

When I dance, I am learning:

balance and coordination

to move to the rhythm of the music

to express myself physically

When I sit and listen during circle, I am learning:

to be attentive

to follow directions

to expand my vocabulary

science skills, as I make predictions and estimations

social sciences, as I discuss the world around me

pre-reading skills, as I learn that text follows left to right

listening skills, as I listen to stories read and told by my teacher

cooperation, when I play group games

when to sit quietly and when it is my turn to speak

science and social studies, when I explore the theme of the day and the information pertaining to the subject, such as how tall is
the largest penguin or where animals hibernate

WHY DO I NEED TO PLAY OUTSIDE AND IN THE EXERCISE ROOM?

When I am playing on the riding toys, I am learning:

strength, balance and large muscle coordination

to use my energy in a constructive manner

science, as I develop a sense of speed, direction and location

cooperative behavior, when I learn to negotiate and take turns

to use my imagination, when I role play

direction, when I travel the “roadways” with my friends

When I am climbing, I am learning:

strength, balance, and large muscle coordination

to challenge myself and to set my own limits

cooperative behavior, as I learn to take turns

to use my imagination, as I pretend

vocabulary skills, as I explore the outside world with my friends

social skills, when I interact and set limits with my friends

When I am swinging, I am learning:

exercise is good for my mental and physical being

coordination and balance

to take turns with my friends

science, as I discover the concept of airflow, force, and speed

WHY DO WE HAVE SNACK AT PRESCHOOL?

When I am having snack, I am learning:

to give thanks for our blessings

manners, as I learn to say please and thank you

nutrition, when I try new foods, and discover different tastes and textures

hygiene, as I understand that I must wash my hands before eating

social studies, when I try different cultural foods

social skills, when I chat with my friends and teachers

coordination, when I pour my own drink

counting, as I count the kids at my table and the number of crackers on my napkin